Briglin Pottery

Briglin Pottery was a post-war British studio pottery established in 1948 by Brigitte Goldschmidt, later known as Brigitte Appleby, and Eileen Lewenstein. The business began in the basement of premises at 66 Baker Street in London with an explicitly practical and commercial purpose: to make well-designed, attractive pots for domestic use and sell them at prices accessible to ordinary households. That ambition distinguished Briglin from studio potteries whose work was primarily individual, limited-edition or exhibition-oriented. Briglin treated studio pottery as a viable production business, combining applied design, skilled decoration and relatively substantial staffing. The pottery became identifiable through a recurring visual language. Much of its output used a dark earthenware body, restrained or muted colours, areas of white glaze and wax-resist decoration. The pieces were generally intended for use in the home rather than solely for display. Briglin made tin-glazed earthenware at a time when many British studio potteries were concentrating on stoneware, giving its work a distinct technical and surface character. Its products were made in quantity, and the pottery’s West End London location supported access to materials, workers, customers and a changing stream of retail visitors. Briglin was unusually industrial and urban for a studio pottery of its period. Contemporary descriptions associated the operation with a workforce of roughly ten full-time and six part-time employees, while Brigitte Appleby stated that the studio employed about fifteen people and produced more than 3,000 pieces per week. These figures illustrate the scale of the undertaking, although they should be understood as period descriptions rather than audited financial or production data. Staff included Donald Mills, who worked at Briglin from 1948 to 1952, and Anthony Barson, who specialised in painted decoration. The pottery’s commercial orientation was not presented as a compromise by its supporters; it was described as the basis of a sustainable concern that provided employment. A fire in 1952 forced Briglin to leave Baker Street and relocate to 22 Crawford Street. The new premises remained the pottery’s base until the business closed in 1990. Eileen Lewenstein departed in 1959 to establish her own studio, while Appleby continued with Briglin. Both founders also played an important role in the wider British craft-pottery movement. They were active in the formation of the Craft Potters Association and served the organisation for many years. Lewenstein later co-edited the association’s journal Ceramic Review from 1970 until 1997. Briglin’s long production run and recognisable decoration have made its wares subjects of later collecting and historical study. Examples are held by the University of Warwick, and Anthea Arnold published a history of the pottery in 2002. The brand itself is defunct following the 1990 closure, but surviving domestic vessels remain relevant to collectors and to accounts of British post-war ceramics. Brigitte Appleby died in April 2000 and Eileen Lewenstein died in March 2005.

Briglin Pottery emerged in London in 1948, when Brigitte Goldschmidt and Eileen Lewenstein established a studio in the basement of 66 Baker Street. Their stated aim was to create attractive, well-designed pottery for ordinary household use and to offer it at affordable prices. This placed Briglin within the studio-pottery tradition while giving it a more overtly commercial and production-focused identity than many contemporaries. The pottery produced domestic wares in considerable volume. Its characteristic appearance included dark earthenware bodies, muted colours, white glaze and wax-resist decoration. Technically, Briglin was notable for making tin-glazed earthenware while many other post-war British studio potteries favoured stoneware. The company also differed from the small workshop model common among studio potters: it employed a substantial workforce and operated in central London rather than in a rural setting. The London base offered access to supplies, labour and customers, despite the higher salaries and overheads associated with the capital. A fire in 1952 caused the business to move to 22 Crawford Street. Briglin continued production there for the rest of its existence. Period accounts describe a workforce of approximately fifteen people, with other accounts referring to ten full-time and six part-time employees, and production exceeding 3,000 pieces per week. Donald Mills was part of the staff from 1948 to 1952, while Anthony Barson was associated with painted decoration. These details indicate that Briglin functioned as a coordinated production studio rather than simply as the workshop of one individual artist. Lewenstein left in 1959 to create her own studio, but both founders remained influential in British craft ceramics through their involvement with the Craft Potters Association. They helped form the organisation and served it over many years. Lewenstein also co-edited Ceramic Review from 1970 through 1997, extending her influence beyond the original pottery. Briglin remained at Crawford Street until it closed in 1990. Appleby died in April 2000 and Lewenstein in March 2005. Later recognition included Anthea Arnold’s 2002 history of the pottery and the inclusion of Briglin examples in the University of Warwick collection. The surviving wares are now encountered primarily through collections, ceramics scholarship and specialist collecting rather than through an active operating brand.

• 2002

  Historical study published

  [1]Briglin Potteryen.wikipedia.org

  Anthea Arnold published a history devoted to Briglin Pottery.

• 1990

  Operations cease

  [1]Briglin Potteryen.wikipedia.org

  Briglin Pottery closed after operating from its Crawford Street premises for most of its existence.

• 1959

  Lewenstein departs

  [1]Briglin Potteryen.wikipedia.org

  Eileen Lewenstein left Briglin to establish an independent studio.

• 1952

  Move to Crawford Street after a fire

  [1]Briglin Potteryen.wikipedia.org

  A fire resulted in the relocation of the pottery to 22 Crawford Street, which remained its base until closure.

• 1948

  Briglin Pottery founded

  [1]Briglin Potteryen.wikipedia.org

  Brigitte Goldschmidt and Eileen Lewenstein founded Briglin Pottery in the basement of 66 Baker Street, London, to make affordable, well-designed domestic pottery.

Affordable, well-designed domestic studio pottery produced at commercial scale, combining practical use with distinctive post-war British ceramic decoration.

• Tableware and household ceramics · 1948

  Domestic earthenware

  Briglin’s principal output consisted of practical pottery intended for use in the home. Pieces commonly used a dark earthenware body combined with restrained colours and areas of white glaze. The work was made in substantial quantities, reflecting the pottery’s goal of bringing designed ceramics to a broad market rather than limiting production to unique art objects.

• Decorated ceramics · 1948

  Wax-resist decorated wares

  Wax-resist decoration was one of the visual features associated with Briglin pottery. The technique helped create recognisable contrasting patterns over dark bodies and pale glazed areas. Combined with muted colour schemes, it formed part of the consistent decorative identity that allows collectors and institutions to associate surviving vessels with the Briglin name.

• Ceramic vessels · 1948

  Tin-glazed earthenware

  Briglin produced tin-glazed earthenware at a time when stoneware was more common among many British studio potteries. This technical choice contributed to the pottery’s distinctive surfaces and helped separate its output from prevailing studio-ceramic practice. The line included functional and decorative domestic pieces rather than a narrowly defined single product.

• Decorative pottery

  Painted-decorated pottery

  Painted decoration formed another part of Briglin’s production, with Anthony Barson identified as a staff member who specialised in this work. The painted pieces belonged to the broader domestic range and demonstrate how the pottery combined repeatable production with individual decorative skills.

• 1990

  Closure of the potteryStrategy

  Background

  Briglin had operated from Crawford Street since its post-fire relocation in 1952.

  Action taken

  The business ceased operations.

  Aftermath

  Briglin pottery became a historical and collectible body of work represented in institutional and private collections.

  Source

• 1959

  Founder leaves to establish an independent studioOther

  Background

  Eileen Lewenstein was a co-founder of Briglin Pottery.

  Action taken

  Lewenstein left Briglin and set up her own studio, while the pottery continued under Brigitte Appleby’s direction.

  Aftermath

  Briglin remained in operation for more than three decades after the departure.

  Source

• 1952

  Relocation after premises fireOther

  Background

  A fire affected Briglin’s original basement premises at 66 Baker Street.

  Action taken

  The pottery moved to 22 Crawford Street and continued production there.

  Aftermath

  Crawford Street became Briglin’s operating base until the pottery closed in 1990.

  Source

1. 1Briglin Potteryen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Briglin Pottery collecting referencebriglin.com